I created the Bureau of Anomaly Control

#497 - 488. Kind-hearted boy

Hearing the boy's answer, Mann nodded slightly and said:

"A very good aspiration. May I ask why you want to help others?"

These words sounded somewhat jarring to Xiaoyao behind them. If they were in the cultivation world, no one would question what the boy said, because helping others doesn't need a reason.

If Xiaoyao were still in the cultivation world, he would only encourage and praise a disciple who said this. He might later have an in-depth discussion about right and wrong when the opportunity arose, but he would never ask such a question directly.

However, this question sounded quite reasonable coming from Mann's mouth, because the Federation they were currently in was indeed a moral desert, as the cultivation world called it. Even ordinary people who weren't bad at heart were unlikely to say they wanted to help anyone, focusing more on their own lives.

In fact, in the eyes of most scholars in the cultivation world, there was nothing wrong with doing so. Otherwise, there wouldn't be the famous saying, "When poor, cultivate your own virtue." When lacking ability, it's enough to not do evil.

Moreover, even towards those relatively indifferent "accomplished" individuals, the cultivation world doesn't criticize their inaction. Instead, they would criticize such criticism. They are particularly unrestrained in encouragement but extremely cautious in criticism.

Therefore, most of the actions of ordinary people in the Federation would certainly not be criticized in the cultivation world, but Xiaoyao could still deeply feel the indifference permeating everywhere here.

Even those with fervent hearts would only be dragged into an icy abyss by this indifference. Only a very few "strong" individuals like Shenxiao, whose hearts and bodies are equally firm, can stand out.

Therefore, although there are many people in the cultivation world with the same noble character as Shenxiao, Xiaoyao admires Shenxiao even more, because those cultivators are in a place where doing good is very easy. There, doing good deeds can even bring both material and spiritual benefits. But Shenxiao is in the Federation, where doing good deeds may come at a painful price.

If those cultivators who seem to have the same moral standards as Shenxiao were thrown here, it's hard to say how many of them could maintain their original intentions. If the world where ordinary people in the Federation live can still be described as indifferent, then the abnormal world where people like Shenxiao live can only be described as cruel.

It was precisely for this reason that Xiaoyao compared Shenxiao with Zhang Banxian when he was talking with Mann.

The current Shenxiao is very much like Zhang Banxian in his early years during the chaotic era—he founded the Heavenly Court in that chaotic world where human lives were as cheap as grass, and turned the cultivation world into the "easy to do good" holy land it is today.

But neither the chaotic world of the past nor the abnormal world of the Federation today is like the current cultivation world. Here, everything is filled with indifference and suspicion, and actively helping others is a dangerous thing.

So Mann's question was somewhat reasonable, Xiaoyao just instinctively felt a little strange.

In fact, even the boy who was asked knew the problem with his statement. Although he hadn't yet entered the abnormal world, he hadn't deeply realized the cruelty here, but he also deeply understood how indifferent most people were.

The reason why Shen Tianyi understood this was actually very simple—because his family was very poor.

His grandfather had no children other than him, and his age didn't support him raising two people in the Southern Federation. Therefore, their lives were extremely difficult before he could work. And just when their situation got a little better, his grandfather fell ill again because he couldn't afford timely treatment.

He was able to live to this day not because many people "helped" him and his grandfather, but precisely because of this, he felt that he should help those in situations similar to his own. This is what his grandfather had always taught him.

Even though he knew that many people would think this was stupid, he still stupidly felt that it was right, because when he and his grandfather were at their lowest point, he hoped to meet the person he wanted to become.

And although the facts weren't exactly like this, he was indeed very lucky to meet Xiaoyao. This "immortal" took out pills to relieve his grandfather, who was terminally ill, from his pain, and he came here to repay his kindness.

But if Mann gave him a choice, he wanted to be someone who could help others.

Someone he once longed to meet.

The boy said somewhat cautiously:

"Because my grandfather taught me how to be a person, and I know it's the right thing to do."

When he spoke, he was obviously a little "guilty," as if he was very afraid that Mann would criticize his idea.

But Mann just smiled:

"A good idea. You have a good grandfather. It's very difficult to insist on doing the right thing in this world, so I admire everyone who is willing to do so, and I can see that you are not lying.

"Although you are still young, you have suffered no less than those so-called adults in big cities. It's very good to be able to maintain such thoughts in such an environment, and you don't have to worry.

"I won't think it's stupid for you to do this, because if I were also a fool, before I came to Xiaoyao Sect to live my current retired life, I was still fighting against the evil of this world.

"It's just a pity that I didn't win in the end, so I'm here now.

"But since you want to help others, I will definitely support you with all my strength."

Hearing this, the boy's eyes lit up, and there was a bit more expectation in his eyes when he looked at Mann.

Luan Linghua, who was beside him, also glanced at the boy, feeling a bit of envy in her heart. She knew her fellow disciple's background very well, so she knew that he couldn't be acting.

But he just happened to be able to say the things that Mann liked to hear the most. What luck.

Mann continued:

"But there are many ways to help others.

"For example, the person I admire most in this world, the Shenxiao Walker, is a strong and righteous warrior, and her way of helping others is to fight against evil itself. She wants to defeat all darkness.

"But it's not only good to fight against evil. For example, I heard that there is a wandering doctor in the Southern Federation who doesn't charge the poor, and there are many poor people living in dark corners of the Southern Federation who can't get the treatment they need.

"And this doctor will go specifically to places with poor medical conditions and use his medical skills to bring the last hope to the poor. This is also a way to help others.

"Which one do you want to take?"

The boy thought for a moment, then looked up at Mann and asked:

"Why doesn't the Shenxiao Walker choose the latter?"

Mann smiled:

"You are very perceptive, because the latter cannot truly heal the entire world."

The boy pondered for half a minute, then slowly said:

"I choose the latter."

Mann showed a curious expression:

"Why?"

The boy looked at him sincerely and said:

"Because I think my ability is limited, and I can't become such a great warrior.

"I don't have that kind of courage."